The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-01-26

that which i ppaeticaL Il deals in
words and signs. and not with facts and
things.
The graduate Of our average high school
a all experience proves. Is educated away
from wha; are called industrial pursuits,
and into q fitness for those employments
which involve only mental training In
short, the head i developed at the ex-
f penSe OF the hand, and We are compelled
( to rely upon the skilled labor Of other
/ countries to ill the most lucrative and i'm
T portant positions which our industrial -
adjustments offer. The value Of mere
intellectual training i not underestimat-
ed nor it, importance overlooked. But
years of suecessful experiment in Amer
ic. have demonstrated beyond question,
that mind and hand can be developed
together a quickly, a fully, and with
much better results than can the mind
alone There i no reason why industrial
manual training cannot be engrafted up
on our present school system with little
Of expense, with little ifany change in
the machinery Of school management,
with no change in our general system Of
laws relating thereto, and with infinite
advantage % our industrial Development
and u. our common veal. Small begin
nings have already been made IN this di-
recti0n in some Of cur larger cities such
training should become universal wher-
ever : sufficient number Of our children
and your 4 are gathered in our schools 70
insure a proper grading for the purposes
OF instruction Pennsylvania. with q
school system second to that of no other
state in the Union, should not be behind
in the introduction of this system of
training the hand as well as the mind
which Is demanded by many experienced
educators, and which Is already being in
troduced BY some Of our sister states with
satisfactory results. The system here re-
ferred 10. strange a. II may seem. was
first introduced in Russia. and It's princi-
pies brought to the notice Of the great
mass Of our educators in America Al the
Centennial Exhibition in 1876. Ii deals
with the general training Of the eye and
hand, and does not undertake 20 fit them
for any specific trade or voeati0n. Il I'M
parts 3 knowledge Of the principles Of
drawing and construction, but does not
undertake to put those principles into ac-
tive operation { 7 immediate practical
purposes The application Of these pFin-
ciPles 10 4 specific object l. better reached
through the medium Of trade schools
which. although important and useful in
themselves, could scarcely be generally
maintained in connection with oar COM
mon school system, and which. if found
ed, should be established with reference
to the wants Of particular localities. by 10
cal enterprise or private charity. This
whole question Is one Of broad siznii-
canoe, and OF the utmost importance to
our present welware and future develop
ment It would he well if it could be az
corded intelligent and extended discus
sion in the public press Of the state
the Science OF CvIcs-
The training Of the itizen. for the ordi-
nary duties Of citizenship, would seem 70
be a matter Of such u rene moment. in
o popular government. that 1t i difficult
to account for the fact that instruction
upon the subject has never vet found q
place in the course Df study in our CON-
mon schools. The science Of civics. as It
Is nov called, l. receiving earnest and in
telligeuf attention and discussion at the
hands Of our educators and intelligent.
public-spirited citizens generally This
science, which deals with the duties of
the citizen 70 the state. and with the
principles OF government which underiie
those duties. should he Taught. Al least in
it, elementary principles, in al oar
schools. The Constitution Of tine United
States. the Constitution Of our Common
wealth, and the laws which bear upon the
rights and duties Of citizens as consJitu-
ent parts Of the body politic, can as read
ily be tsught. with = much of success AMI
practical results. a. arithmetic or auv 8b-
strset science, or the more practical study
OF geography There Is To reason for
teaching the physical outlines and ies-
tures Of our country, and leaving the
principles upon whics our government i
founded, and in the exercise of which il
must be Derpetuated. untaught. Il would
seem that the STATE in fouHriing q system
Of education. would provide first foT the
teaching Of those principles upon which
the State i based, and which must gov
err the individual citizen in the discharge
of his duties - such. The caus,- which
have led 70 the development Of such an
abnormal system Of education ara eas-
ily found and understood ny those who
viii give intelligent thought to the sub
ject. We do not now deal with the
causes. Here are the facts. What shall
BE- done with them These are practical
questions which appeal TO ali our people
and challenge the careful thought anil
he-t efforts Of our Wi-est legislators.
DESTITUTE CHILDREN oF THE STATE
Closely allied to The education Of oar
young are the care and training Of the
destitute children Of the State. Wisely
forbidden place in our aIm-hon-es. no
adequate provision has been made t,g
their ordinary care and for fitting them
for usefulness in life. We cannot atorl
to fo5ind IN thiS country an sristocrdcy of
pauperisn The State must. IN -elf Re-
fence, take the yonne who sre deprived
Of natural guardians and those If gnDat-
ural parents who fail tc provide for their
offspring. and train them for independent
support and usefulness This Is not a
question which appeals To philanthropy
alone Prudent forcth0ughI and wise
economy will expend money and effort
IN directing the youthful mind and the
plant energies Of childhood into proper
channels. and the result VIII be self re-
specting. intelligent. and self-supporting
manhood and wonanhood. II may be
that some legislation on this subject Il
needed Just how the question Is 70 be
met i nos here discussed The fact Is
stated in order that the thought Of the
people may De turned toward the subject
and its discussion lead 10 practical results.
Ii, sr,ci, a dis.r,ssicr, h.au..rar ,E-nr,lsf II